Panzer Society
Social Structure Despite the advances of technology and such decades beyond that of human society, Panzer families are often large, with some boasting over 100 clan members in a single family. However, in the past five decades, there has been a steady trend going towards nuclear families, and as a result there is a naturally degraded tendency to arms amongst the people. Panzer societies are highly militant, in the sense that most Panzers still find it a source of pride to be able to work high up in the military, which contributes to the continued survival of the military's importance in Panzer society. The Panzers, being an underground race of half-humans, take it upon themselves to "maintain the order of balance whenever required", but their activities have so far been centering around just one single town. A Panzer is expected to finish his or her required military duties, explained below. Most civilian careers take off for Panzers after the age of approximately 24 to 27, a late entry compared to regular humans but an acceptable trade-off to the shame of being discharged early. Military Training All Panzers are required to enter Basic Military Training School (BMTS) after their Elementary School (around 12 years of age), and in the context of Panzer society this is combined with Middle School and High School education. Panzers of both genders serve at least 15 years of armed service, the first six of which goes mainly into indoctrination. This length of service is, for the purposes of making it not sound too militant, called "Basic Panzer Responsibility Period" or BPRP - unofficially back-ronymed to "Be-prepped Period". Commissioning A Panzer is considered officially commissioned only after the mantatory be-prepped period, which in special circumstances can be shortened. After that, choosing a military or civilian career is entirely up to the individual. Infantry If a Panzer is assigned to Infantry, his eventual branch is decided at the Infantrymen's Barracks. From the Barracks, he can become: Rifleman Specialises in group movement and assault rifle weaponry. Riflemen are not very often seen in both societies, but when deployed, their fireteams of six pack very devastating firepower - most Riflemen have two weapon specialties. However, since they are not involved in human societal conflicts, they must do cross-city exercises regularly to keep their skills limber. Scout Specialises in intel gathering and lone movement. Scouts rank among the most-deployed personnel in Pebbleton presently (mostly discharged scouts earning employment outside of the Government military context), their ability to blend in with human society being a result of lengthy concealment training. * Graciel Flay and Cassius are scouts, but Graciel is the only one that has endured lengthy Sniper training. * Cyanate was a scout discharged early, though not under dishonorable circumstances. Weapon Ops Specialises in armored combat. Even rarer than Infantrymen, armored infantrymen are basically weapon operators. They command heavy weapons and artillery-based weaponry, but because of the general stability across Panzer societies, this branch sees much lesser work than, say, the US Army/Air Force equivalents. Weapon Ops today is divided into two official platoons; Operations specialise in the operations of the gears of war (indeed, the troop-namer), while R&D, the platoon that supplies the army with state-of-the-art weaponry, is further divided into Research Team and Development Team, which are separate and usually do not interact much with each other. * Before Palmarr became a commander, he was part of an elite Jugger-sapiens unit. * Hailey excelled in this and was known as a legend of weapons operation, before she took off with the Cannon and went AWOL. * Alkane was involved in Weapon Ops right up till discharge; her main area of focus was in the Research Team, researching for "ammunition potential". She is unconcerned with anything else that isn't remotely related to research. * Benzene was sent to Detention Barracks barely six weeks into training for the job and was dishonorably discharged soon after. Command People who are deemed suited for command. Usually people who get into Command School from the Barracks are promoted slower than those who are hand-picked at the elementary school phase, presumably because they're not smart enough, but the true reasons only the government knows. Rumors abound as to the selection process of Command School being biased toward certain families. * Noco Sue may have gotten her position due to her family background as a bloodline descended from a certain Dog Marshall. * Palmarr became a commander after demonstrating excellent service as a Jugger-sapien fit for command roles. Logistics and Transport If a Panzer is assigned to Logistics and Transport, his eventual branch is usually predetermined by Headquarters Manpower Division, and he will be assigned to vehicular transport or logistics work, much like drivers/clerks. This is a dead-end job for most Panzers and nobody is expected to stay in this job for more than the required 5 years (taking 10 off BMTS). But this doesn't earn disdain from Panzers in other branches, mainly because this is still a military service branch, albeit a thankless one. Military Ranks Officers * Admiral/Marshall — The highest rank available to the Panzers, most Panzers strive towards this rank until luck comes along and gives them a push, or someone gets in the way at some stage, or they simply give up. Realistically, only members of still-prominent families get a shot at becoming the country's highest-ranked Commander of All Panzers. * General — One step below Admiral, Generals wield considerable power in the military. Generally, most Generals are aged forty-five and above (due to reasons of experience and expertise, so on) and there has been no exception. However, they tend to be the highest point of command for most units and so, unfortunately, have the tendency to be misinformed of a situation when shit hits the fan. The days of Generals fighting alongside their men has, over the course of the past two centuries, become a fallacy. * Colonel — One step below a General, this is a best post for a field commander to be. The rank of Colonel is the last military rank where field deployment is still acceptable. Most field-going commanders stay at this rank never to go higher, but compared to Generals, they command more respect from their men for their willingness to fight alongside them. ** Palmarr Berry * Major — After several years of respectable service in command, most Captains are automatically promoted to Major. This rank garners slightly more respect than a Captain, but is also one of the toughest as a "sandwich rank" right smack in the middle of Generals and Lieutenants. In short, they have to deal with both shit from the highest command, and complaints from the weak-minded or green officers at Lieutenant rank. ** Noco Sue-Berry * Captain — An interim position for most Lieutenants en route to becoming a Major. This rank is considered "middle of the road" but still garners a fair amount of respect. * Lieutenant — The point of entry for most newly-commissioned officers, "Leftenants" as they are usually called are the most abused officers. They are neither well-respected by higher command or well-heeded by their own men. Most Panzers wilt and stay in this role, but a select handful has the ability to force their way up higher. Non-commissioned *'Warrant Officer' — The highest non-command role available, this is for able and excellent servicemen who could not rise to command posts, but has served the military for a long period of time. They are equal in respect given to a Colonel, only without the rank. *'Staff/Master Sergeant' — Experienced foot soldiers earn this rank after a fair length of service beyond the required BPRP. Unlike most command roles, Sergeant roles are earned after a length of time appropriate to the service for promotion. So a Logistics/Transport soldier might be promoted to Staff Sergeant in fifteen years compared to a Jugger-sapien who might be promoted in under seven years. *'Sergeant/Specialist' — Upon completion of Basic Military Training, almost all soldiers are promoted to the rank of Specialist. Sergeant is a rank reserved for the people who wish to stay on in the military, but if a Panzer chooses to pursue a civilian career after BPRP, the highest he or she can go is the rank of Specialist. **Graciel Flay **Alkane (HD) *'Corporal' — This rank is possible to be obtained during the first six indoctrination years by doing related military volunteering service, but most Panzers get this after the first six years. ** Cassius ** Tethys and Noa Blue **Benzene (DD) **Cyanate (DD) *'Private' — Curiously, in the Panzer context, this rank is a given to all Panzers upon turning 12. It is an event that is significant enough in Panzer society that parents will celebrate a child's "Private Commissioning Day" above their birthday. Discharges Honorable Discharge An honorable discharge is obtained under circumstances where an individual Panzer is judged to have met or exceeded the requirements of his or her service. This qualifies Panzer for many post-military posts and post-military education, and is generally given a fair amount of respect by fellow Panzers. In fact, all the Panzer cities' known politicians and high-post civilians are individuals who have obtained honorable discharges. Ordinary Discharge Although mistakenly considered by many as the same with an Honorable Discharge, an Ordinary Discharge is obtained under circumstances where the individual Panzer may not have fulfilled his or her obligations to his or her service. However, most Panzers treat it as almost the same as an Honorable Discharge, thinking that a certain mission or duty may have been impossible to fulfill by the individual Panzer at the time, and most OD Panzers argue it that way, whether that had been the case or otherwise. Dishonorable Discharge Going AWOL from it is considered a highly disgraceful and dishonorable act, and so most Panzers choose not to. Most rights activists are Panzers discharged under dishonorable circumstances, and it is not unusual therefore that they're also the ones most slighted when it comes to Panzer societal policy-making. Going rogue and uncontactable, however, does not automatically qualify for a DD - a prominent example is Hailey Geminesca . Since all DD Panzers are recorded as such under the government's centralised electronics system, that is the only way to tell if a Panzer has been discharged dishonorably. Rogue Panzers Panzers who have chosen to dissociate themselves from the Head-Quarters are labeled by the Panzers officials as rogues. For various reasons, they chose instead to live among humans, and have hacked their MPUD's from being monitored by the command center. They are not looked too kindly upon by the HQ, and there is often tension between HQ-dwelling Panzers and rogues. Conflicts often arise should a rogue Panzer meet an HQ cadet in the human world. Category:Terminology